Sand Cat

No but the mistake most would make is thinking the cat IS domesticated like our house cats and not keeping in mind its a WILD cat that is not tame. I don't recommend owing one.

As with all animals that are wild, a special license must be obtained from most state governments to legally own a wildcat and be able to transport it over state lines. This is the case for most states I live around in the southern United States. Most of the time you have to prove that you have the resources and experiences to care for the animal.

I went through a lot of this process when trying to help with a bobcat that was being treated by the vet I work for and am friends with. He had health problems and was really young, so returning him to the wild was not an option. However, he passed away unfortunately before I got to go through the entire process of applying to own him.

Most people that do own exotic cats that are a wild species like a bobcat or cougar are easier to get approval because they are native to the area in the U.S. Sand cats are native to the Middle East and Africa, if I recall. Because they truly are wildcats, and not a F1 or F2 Savannah Cat [which has domestic cat influence], trying to own one is different.

I wouldn't venture into trying to own one unless you are absolutely prepared, have the right experience, and can legally do it. Even though they are similar to our own domestic kitties, I've seen through experience that any wild cat can often be very different in some ways as well.

Even though they look similar and are subdued, don't be lured into thinking they are just like a domestic cat. All in all, I would not recommend trying to get one and take care of it.

Oh okay! Sorry to be presumptuous

I have never heard of people owning them, but I would not doubt that they have some contribution to make to the domestic cats we are around. They are adorable though. Perhaps some sort of hybrid like the Savannah Cat has been made? I have no idea. We don't have them in zoos where I'm around. But we have a one-eyed snow leopard at one of the zoos near my hometown, so that doesn't make much sense

Hmmm.. I don't have any direct experience with them, but from what I've read they tend towards being secretive and not particularly friendly in a domestic setting.

Ahh, the Sand Cat. Yes, they are adorable, seen them at the zoo. I have a friend who had a sand cat, had because it passed away of old age. Never got to experience this cat first had however. With the wild cats, it seems the smaller they are, the more difficult they are to raise. My cougar is much easier to work with than my bobcats. However, with the cougar, you have to deal with his large size and strength. Owning an exotic (wild) cat takes a tremendous amount of responsibility, but it is a very rewarding life time experience, for the person willing and able to devote their life to the care of the animal And of course, same holds true for ALL animals as pets, domestic or wild.

You own exotic cats? I see from your profile that you may own a Bobcat. My bobcat that I owned for a month was one of the most fantastic and educational experiences I've ever had.

Cougars?! Wow, I don't know if I could own one of those.

He and his wife I believe have four bobcats and one cougar ... click on the signature for their site

Yep, as Sharky said, we live with 4 bobcats, our cougar and 4 domestic cats. The bobcats live inside and also have a large secure outdoor enclosure to go into. Our cougar, now that he is an adult, lives outdoors in his secure enclosure. He is my big buddy who loves to groom me all the time and has a purr so loud you can feel it

Aww...yeah I've heard that cougars are a bit easier to get along with sometimes than bobcats. I'm glad they have good outdoor enclosures, because from experience I've seen how bonkers a wild cat can go if it's always kept indoors. We were forced to keep Bobby [yes, original name I know...] inside due to him being a kitten and his severe health problems. He would sit at the window for such a long time...Finally we managed to harness train him [we didn't have an enclosure to let him walk about freely] a couple of weeks before he passed away.

Saw your photos of your Amber...she looks very similar to Bobby! What origin is she? I ask because many bobcats that I've seen were from the northern and western areas of the U.S. The variety we have in the southeast are lean like her, and not as fuzzy as kittens as other bobcats. This is the kind Bobby is, since we rescued him abandoned from the swampy wooded area near the bay in Alabama.

The bobcats will come inside, mainly so they can sleep on our beds But as soon as it starts to get dark, they want out. They usually spend half the day outside and half inside, unless we have some really bad weather. They don't mind the rain or snow, but if it is really windy, they want to come inside. Carmelo, our cougar, has a large insulated den box to sleep in and to get out of the weather. The bobcats have dens too, but most of the time they sleep on them, instead of inside, unless it is raining.